Phillips-Van Heusen To Close Ozark Plant

The last manufacturing facility New
York City-based Phillips-Van Heusen Corp. operates is set to close by May 15. Approximately 500
jobs will be eliminated when the Ozark, Ala., plant — which manufactures roughly 5 percent of the
company’s dress shirts — closes. The apparel company contracts manufacturers abroad for its
remaining production.

Plant closing costs including severance will total about $10 million, and annual savings of
about $5 million are expected in 2007, according to Phillips-Van Heusen.

“This was a difficult, but inevitable, decision based on the competitive environment in the
apparel industry and the expiration of import quotas in 2005,” said Emanuel Chirico, CEO. “We are
very sorry to have to close the facility, and we are committed to working with local economic
development authorities to do anything we can to help market this facility to other potential
employers.”